Pennsylvania Considers Action Against Cell Phone Use on the Road
Cell phones, intended to keep us fully connected to the world at large, often cause us to lose sight of the world at present.

September 10, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Pennsylvania Considers Action Against Cell Phone Use on the Road

Article provided by Berger and Green
Visit us at www.bergerandgreen.com/

Cell phones, intended to keep us fully connected to the world at large, often cause us to lose sight of the world at present. Nowhere is this issue more pertinent than on the road.

According the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, distraction was the second leading cause of motor vehicle accidents in 2008 -- ranking above drunk driving.

Currently, there is no law in Pennsylvania restricting cell phone use while driving, though local governments have the option of banning mobile devices. For many, however, this problem seems too large for local solutions and requires a statewide law.

Many of those pushing for a change in state law point to young drivers as proof of the need for legal action. Over 28 percent of accidents on the road involve drivers between the ages of 16 and 22, yet this age group represents only about eight percent of Pennsylvania's registered drivers. Most young drivers admit to talking calls and/or texting while driving.

Recent movement in the state government has many hopeful that the question will soon be moving from "if" to "when."

In early July, the state Senate passed Bill 143 which, if approved in the House of Representatives, will ban texting for all drivers, regardless of age. Still, the law would be somewhat stunted by current provisions that make texting a secondary offense. This means that officers cannot pull drivers over simply for texting, and the penalty occurs only if a driver is stopped for another offense.

Another bill, passed by the House in April, would make talking or texting on the phone a primary offense for drivers between 16 and 17 years of age. Between the two proposed measures, the government still has some shuffling to do before a final solution is reached.

There has been some movement toward federal action on this issue. In late July, the Alert Drivers Act was introduced in Congress. Its authors propose a reduction in federal highway funding for states that do not enact laws against reading, writing or sending texts while driving.

Pennsylvania's pending ban on texting would join similar laws in a handful of other states that have enacted such measures.

Press Release Contact Information:

Findlaw PR